CLOSED: Mon Chay

We searched for this restaurant in Carmel CA but were saddened to find they are switching over to a meaty noodle house. Too bad, the menu on their still active website looked wonderful.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant in the entire world. Almost everything is vegan, and the owners are very nice. The food is so delicious; my favorite dish is probably the clay pot (#32 on the menu). They also make smoothies with homemade soy milk that are phenomenal. You simply must go here, because you'll never find a better Vietnamese place!

After eating at Mon Chay, we would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this to anyone that would like a tasty meal with a sure bet of some healthful energies making their way to you. Not only is it a vegan/vegetarian option for the Monterey area but I feel that no matter what your eating tendencies are, that you will find something to make your visit worthwhile. And, at a reasonable price.

One dish was the eggplant and basil. It was by far the best preparation of that combination that I've ever had. They pride themselves in using as much organic as available. There is no MSG and we were impressed that the food was NOT overcooked or prepared on high heat. The veggies still had a crunch and the look and feel of vitality. We asked about the preparation and we were told that the food was prepared by Buddhist nuns so I'm sure it was done with good intentions. Organic brown rice is also usually available (although not when we were there) for folks that don't want to eat the steamed white rice. Unlike the previous reviewer, we had no problems with the language communication. And, a BIG PLUS, the tofu is organic. That means you can eat it without worrying about consuming GMO soy. This is a great new asset to our area so eat there and spread the word. I would love for them to have much success!

So, second vegetarian restaurant on the Monterey Peninsula, bring it! Mon Chay has a classy space on the second floor, with a gigantic gold Buddha watching over the dining room. From your table, you can also make sure that no one is messing with your car in the parking lot. Language barriers with the waiter made it hard for me to ascertain the vegan-ness of the dishes, but maybe my communication skills just need work. We seemed to figure it out eventually.

I ended up having the fresh rolls with taro and the roast duck soup. Both tasted good. The soup was interesting, with several kinds of fruits and vegetables that I couldn't identify. It was well-spiced and flavorful, the perfect thing for a cold and foggy evening. Mon Chay is trying hard to make its fake meat actually taste like meat. There were disk-like things in my soup that were eerily reminiscent of animal fat. Those were a bit much for me, although I did like the "duck". Good prices, especially for the area. Wish this place was closer to where I lived, but I think Carmel needs it more than we do. ;)